Go back
Problem 4

Problem 4

Only Chess

Vote Up
2
Vote Down

F. Gamage, 1911


#2

Vote Up
Vote Down

b8=Q, Qxc8, Qg3# ?

The only way I've found the maintain the Q pin to stop the check without breaking the holding structure around the king...

Vote Up
Vote Down

Dammit, just realised QxQ leads to check

2 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

Kxa5

Vote Up
Vote Down

I thought there were two solutions to this, but I've just worked out why one of them fails. My incorrect solution didn't have a mate after 1. (move) d7-d5, although it did after 1. (move) d7-d6.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Then what? Na4# falls to the b pawn...

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

ah

2 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

Kxa5, Nb2, Bxb2#

Kxa5, Qxc8, bxc8=Q#

Kxa5, Qc7, Qxc7#

Kxa5, Qc5, Qxc5#

Kxa5, Qc4, Qxc4#

Vote Up
Vote Down

That last one isn't mate, Black can recapture with his b-pawn.

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Kxa5, Qc4, Nd5#

?

2 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

The rook on d4 is hanging!

Your key move is much too mundane to be the solution.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Balls 🙂

Vote Up
Vote Down

Ok, how about...

Rh4, Qxc8, Nd5#

Vote Up
Vote Down

As far as I can see, any move by either knight or the queen falls to this one...

Vote Up
Vote Down

That's the solution I came up with, though there are a few other moves to consider (e.g. Black moving his d-pawn one or two squares).